Reward for FaithfulnessSpeaker: Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Gist: When you are faithful in the small matters entrusted to you, in your jobs, in your responsibilities, in handling the belongings of others, God will lift you high in your life. St. Paul writes, "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry" (1 Timothy 1:12). As soon as the Lord appeared to him and told him that He was His chosen vessel, Paul began to preach about Christ in the synagogues that He is the Son of God (Acts 9:20). God did not make Paul a great apostle overnight. He began his battle only by giving his personal testimony. Days and years rolled by. On seeing his faithfulness, God made him a prophet (Acts 13:1). He gave him the gift of prophecy and then made him a preacher (Acts 19:9,10). History says that for two years he stayed in the city of Ephesus and preached the Word of God daily from dawn to dusk.
What a great honour it is to do the ministry and to serve the Lord. If St.Paul could study and research the Bible for two years and preach the Word of God to the people of different nations, how great must have been his wisdom. God gave him such wisdom because he had been faithful in the ministry that he began. So the Lord raised him to be an apostle (1 Corinthians 9:15; 2 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Timothy 2:7). In the end he became transformed even to the image of Christ. God led him into an exalted experience. That is why he could say boldly, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church (Colossians 1:24). So, in heaven, God has given him a great privilege which are denied to others. It seems that when Paul came to heaven, the Lord Jesus said, "Let the wounds and scars which he received in flesh for my sake remain in the spiritual body also." It seems that all the wounds that he received on his body here on earth is represented exactly in his heavenly body too. Looking back at the reason, it was all because Paul was faithful in his testimony, preaching, prophesy and apostolic ministry.
When we are faithful in small matters entrusted to us, in our jobs, in our responsibilities, in handling the belongings of others, God notices every one of our moves. He recognizes the faithfulness with which spend our days and our sincerity towards our responsibilities. Then He would say, "Let me grant him grace to do more. Let him win more souls and still more riches that he may need in his earthly journey." So, my dear friend, learn to be fatihful like St.Paul. Let us plead to Him, "Lord, grant me grace to be faithful in limited responsibilities entrusted to me and in my spiritual life." God will then raise you higher in your life.
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
Grant me the grace to be faithful in the little responsibilities entrusted to me and in my spiritual life. Teach me to be faithful like St.Paul. Strengthen me so that I would not fail in doing my duties. Grant me a clear conscience and help me to be true to it. Help me to bear testimony of Your grace. Help me to serve you better. In Jesus' mighty name, I pray.
Amen. |